Find a Healthy Nail Salon Near You!
Board President David Chiu, Tomas Aragon, Health Officer at San Francisco Department of Public Health, and SF Environment director Melanie Nutter with representatives from the eight nail salons
Eight nail salons were the first to receive the City’s prestigious Healthy Nail Salon designation at a press conference on December 12th held by SF Environment and Board of Supervisors President David Chiu, where salon owners were officially recognized for their commitment to increasing the environmental health of their salons.
“Through legislation introduced by Supervisor Chiu, San Francisco created a Healthy Nail Salon Initiative to help create safer working conditions for our nail salon community as well as our residents,” SF Environment director Melanie Nutter said at the conference.
The first of its kind in the nation, San Francisco’s Healthy Nail Salon Program aims to increase the safety of local nail salons, while increasing awareness of nail salon safety both in San Francisco and beyond.
"I hope that consumers will look for the Healthy Nail Salon seal and support these salons with their business,” said Board President Chiu.
The success of San Francisco's healthy nail salon legislation has encouraged other cities to launch programs of their own.
“These nail salons have inspired other Jurisdictions to implement similar programs. We understand that Alameda County, San Mateo County and Marin County are launching programs soon,” said Nutter.
Julia Liou of the California Healthy Nail Salon Collaborative and Valetti Lang of the Department of Toxic Substances Control also spoke at the conference to recognize the significance of the program in promoting health of workers and customers by reducing exposure to toxic chemicals.
Also in attendance were representatives from the San Francisco Department of Public Health, The Environmental Protection Agency, the Cancer Prevention Institute of California, and the Breast Cancer Fund.
About the Healthy Nail Salon Program
There are 250 salons in San Francisco, employing over 2,200 technicians, who are primarily women of reproductive age. Nail salon workers are exposed to toxic chemicals in polishes and other products, which commonly include the “toxic trio,” three of the most harmful chemicals which have been linked to cancer, birth defects, and miscarriages.
San Francisco’s Healthy Nail Salon Program aims to reward nail salons that make safer choices for their employees, customers, and the environment. Launched in early 2012, the Healthy Nail Salon program is a free program which is open to all nail salons in San Francisco. The Department of the Environment works with registered salons to help them complete the safety measures required to become certified under the program.
To reduce exposure to these chemicals, the Healthy Nail Salon program requires that salons go through a rigorous checklist of safety measures, including:
• Use of gloves by all technicians
• Installation of localized ventilation
• Training for all employees
• Using safer nail products
Where can I find a Healthy Nail Salon in San Francisco?
Check out our Healthy Nail Salons page.
More Information
Press Release: San Francisco Recognizes Healthy Nail Salons through first of its kind program
San Francisco's Healthy Nail Salon program
Eight SF nail salons lauded for healthy products, practices